Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia

Zambia: Share of urban population living in slums was 43.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
43.4%
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
48th
of 214 countries
All-time high
63.8%
in 2000
All-time low
43.4%
in 2024
Years of data
13
2000–2024

Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 63.8 %2002: 62.1 %2004: 60.4 %2006: 58.7 %2008: 57 %2010: 55.3 %2012: 53.6 %2014: 51.9 %2016: 50.2 %2018: 48.5 %2020: 46.8 %2022: 45.1 %2024: 43.4 %

Source: United Nations Human Settlements Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, share of urban population living in slums in Zambia stood at 43.4%. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.8% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of urban population living in slums in Zambia peaked at 63.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 43.4%, in 2024.

Zambia ranks 48th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.

Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia, 2000 to 2024.
Year % Change
2000 63.8%
2002 62.1% -2.7%
2004 60.4% -2.7%
2006 58.7% -2.8%
2008 57.0% -2.9%
2010 55.3% -3.0%
2012 53.6% -3.1%
2014 51.9% -3.2%
2016 50.2% -3.3%
2018 48.5% -3.4%
2020 46.8% -3.5%
2022 45.1% -3.6%
2024 43.4% -3.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 60.4% 57.0% 63.8% 5
2010s 51.9% 48.5% 55.3% 5
2020s 45.1% 43.4% 46.8% 3

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 45 Peru 44.2% compare
  2. 46 Yemen 44.2% compare
  3. 47 Guinea 44.0% compare
  4. 49 Sri Lanka 42.6% compare
  5. 50 Bhutan 42.3% compare
  6. 50 Iran, Islamic Republic of 42.3% compare

See the full ranking of 214 places →

More population data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of urban population living in slums in Zambia?
Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia was 43.4% in 2024, according to United Nations Human Settlements Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of urban population living in slums recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 63.8% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of urban population living in slums recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 43.4% in 2024.
How does Zambia rank for share of urban population living in slums?
Zambia ranks 48th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of urban population living in slums rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Human Settlements Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population living in slums. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of urban population living in slums in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Human Settlements Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-urban-population-living-in-slums/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of urban population living in slums
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Human Settlements Programme – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
214 places, 2,632 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed

Proportion of urban population living in slums (%).